Confusion & Infatuation: A Ladynoir Fanfiction
by stydiot
Summary: Marinette loves Adrien, who unknowingly loves her back as her alter ego, Ladybug. Will fate end up bringing the two together, or will someone like Chloe or Hawk Moth stand in their way? Read on to find out as the two cross paths, both disguised and as themselves. Featuring: Romance, sexual content, semi-violent action, mildly crude humor, and VERY painful puns.
1. Chapter 1

Usually on days when Chat Noir's patrol duty was particularly slow, he would ramble to Plagg about Ladybug. But luckily for Plagg, today wasn't usual, as Chat's mind was still reeling from the earlier events with Volpina having been akumatized all along.

"You know, if Ladybug hadn't have been so hesitant toward her, Volpina would've had me convinced that she owned a miraculous just like us," Chat said softly to Plagg as his eyes wandered over the sparkling city of Paris. "It's almost like she has a sixth sense or something, just another reason why Ladybug is my lady, and also the love of my life."

"Puh-lease," Plagg retorted, "You don't even know the girl. Not to mention that you haven't even seen her eat cheese yet. What if she doesn't like it?!"

"I think that you're the only one with that standard, Plagg," Chat Noir chuckled at the kwami and his insane love for the dairy product. Still, no matter what Ladybug did, his love for her only grew stronger. Despite Plagg's joking manner, he was ultimately right: Chat had no idea who Ladybug really was. Alya's LadyBlog only had so many hints on the masked hero's true identity, and it was that she was probably in high school due to her book having been dropped once. It pained him that even her biggest fans couldn't figure out who she was, and yet oddly made him even more attracted to her and her mysteriousness.

"I still don't understand why we have to patrol the city in the middle of the night. Most akuma attacks have been during the day and Hawk Moth is probably sleeping right now anyways, which is what we should also be doing," Plagg hinted to Chat Noir, knocking him out of his daze.

"Fair enough, but you and I both know that it's safer to be out here. Plus, I kinda like seeing Paris at night. The city is asleep and wide awake at the same time," Chat replied, still staring out into the bright, twisting streets.

"But all your friends are asleep, so why does it matter?" Plagg whined back to the kitty.

That reminded him. Chat liked to check on his friends at night, and no, not in a stalker-like manner. It was nice seeing them so relaxed, and also helped to occupy him from his boring duties throughout the night.

Chat grabbed his stick and began hopping and flipping throughout the streets of Paris. First stop was Chloe's house. Although Chat Noir could never tell another soul, he had pictures of Chloe without her hair and makeup done (and they were hilarious).

He landed on the glistening roof of the mayor's mansion and hopped over to Chloe's window. He peered in to see her popping a face full of acne, which she covered up surprisingly well with makeup during the day. He almost let out a laugh before clamping his hand over his mouth. Her ponytail swiftly turned and Chat had just enough time to jump onto a nearby roof. _That girl sees and hears everything, I swear_ , Chat thought to himself.

Next was Nino's house, which was not all that exciting. He just stayed up playing video games all night, and as Chat arrived and peered through the window, Nino was indeed playing video games. He let out a quiet chuckle as his friend lost a game and let out some swear words. Despite being horrible at video games, Nino still played them all the time, which Adrien could never quite understand but also never questioned.

Chat leaped off of Nino's roof and headed to Marinette's house. He loved visiting her at her house, because first of all, the bakery beneath her always smelled amazing. And second, she was never wasting her time. Marinette was either doing homework, discussing something serious with Alya, designing stunning gowns and skirts, or baking for the next day. Chat Noir always enjoyed watching her design clothing. She seemed so at ease, and it helped that she was extraordinarily talented.

As his glowing green eyes peered into her room, he saw her sitting on a fuzzy chair reading some book titled, _Matched_. He watched as her blue eyes scrolled across the pages and her eyebrows furrowed together in focus. During the school day, Adrien always felt bad about talking to Marinette. She seemed scared and startled, and he didn't mean to make her upset. Adrien assumed it was because Marinette loved his father's fashions, but he was never quite sure. Just as the cat was thinking, he shifted out of his daze and saw two blue eyes staring back into his own.

"Chat Noir?" Marinette's muffled voice called from the other side of the glass. _Well shit_ , he thought to himself. She looked confused, but thankfully not angry. Her hands turned the window lock and she lifted the glass pane upward.

"Hey, princess," Chat said as he grinned towards her.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you on night patrol?" Marinette asked curiously.

"Well... I get _claw_ -fully bored," Marinette rolled her eyes at the kitty's pun, "Also, I just like to check in people that have been in danger before. Need to make sure that they're still doing okay without my assistance, good looks, and charm," Chat Noir smirked. Marinette gave a small smile in return, along with her usual look of annoyance. "Mind if I come in for a second, princess?" The kitty asked.

"Sure, just don't mess anything up," Marinette said as the cat entered through the window and tripped over a pile of books. The girl laughed, "Okay, just don't mess up anything _else_."

Chat Noir looked around her room and was startled at the amount of pink that surrounded him. He also noticed how much her room was a reflection of her, with designs scattered all over her desk and posters of famous designers.

"Wow, you have a lot of talent," Chat said to Marinette as he studied a design of a red ball gown.

"Thanks. I wish I could get people to notice, though," She said as she sorted cut-outs of models from magazines, "This boy at school has a father who is a famous fashion designer, but I can never talk to him without stuttering. I guess meeting Gabriel Agreste is highly unlikely for me, but still. It would be amazing to talk with him about designing."

"It's okay, he's not the most friendly person," Chat replied without thinking, but then caught his slip-up, "Uh, I mean, that's what I've heard at least."

Marinette nodded, "Either way, it would be an honor. But it won't happen because I can't talk to his son, Adrien." Her head tilted downward in shame before popping right back up after Chat replied with, "Why can't you?"

"Why can't I?!" Marinette asked in disbelief, "Well, for starters, he's the most amazing person on this entire planet. I'm just clutzy Marinette who draws stupid little skirts in her notebooks, and he's gorgeous Adrien who models and has a famous father and–"

"Stupid? Marinette your designs are amazing!" Chat said to the rambling girl, "And I bet that Adrien thinks so, too." Marinette's eyes seemed to thank him, but she didn't seem to fully believe him. And despite his quick response, Chat's mind was racing on the fact that Marinette didn't talk to him during school because she _liked_ him. Adrien, his boring persona only used to maintain his father's public image. He was still blushing at her kind remarks, but thankfully Marinette was too busy sketching to notice. She wasn't his dream girl, as that spot was taken by Ladybug, but she was very pretty. Not to mention that her talent was amazing, and she always tried to help those around her. Chat admitted to himself that he had slight feelings for the girl, but wouldn't make any advances just in case Ladybug ever returned his feelings for her.

"Sorry Chat Noir, but I think I'm gonna go to bed now. It was nice talking with you, and sorry that you had to listen to my rambling for ten minutes," Marinette laughed.

"Hey, no biggie, don't worry about it. Un-tail next time, my princess," Chat said as he swooped out of her window and onto the streets below.

Marinette didn't expect to see the cat and his puns for the rest of the day, but wasn't too upset about it. His flirty nature and cocky smiles were a lot easier to laugh at when they weren't fighting against Hawk Moth's akumas.

"What was he doing here?" Tikki asked as she flew out from inside Marinette's lamp.

"I'm actually not so sure. He said he was bored, which was probably true, but I don't know why he chose to visit me," Marinette said as she fixed the pile of books that Chat tripped over.

"Maybe Chat Noir knows that you won't freak out about seeing him," Tikki thought aloud, "He rescued you from Nathaneal as an akuma before, remember?"

"Oh yeah. You're probably right, Tikki," Marinette said back the the kwami. But in her mind, she wondered if it was something more. Maybe the kitty just wanted a friend.

"You should get some sleep, Marinette. It's already 10:30 and you have a test tomorrow," Tikki warned.

"Okay, but I can't promise that I still won't have trouble waking up tomorrow morning," Marinette replied as the kwami smiled back at her.

"Fair enough," Tikki said softly. Marinette laid her head onto the pillow and fell asleep almost instantly. The last thought to cross her mind was two sparkling green eyes staring back into her own.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Alya was surprised to Marinette arrive to school on time.

"Girl, congrats on being put together for one day," Alya laughed. Marinette smiled back in return.

"Yeah, I had to help restock the bakery early this morning because my mom is feeling sick."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear!" Alya said in response, "Hope she feels better soon!"

"Me too," Marinette replied. Before she had a chance to ask Alya about last night's reading assignment, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Marinette was confused as to why Alya's eyes widened, but she soon knew the reason, as she turned to see that the hand belonged to Adrien. Alya's eyes questioned Nino, but the boy seemed just as confused as she was and shrugged his shoulders at her.

"Hey Marinette," Adrien smiled at the girl's reddened face. She grinned shyly.

"H-Hey Adrien," Marinette muttered back, "What are y-you doing here? Uh, I m-mean, you're here because of s-school, obviously. But, uh, what I meant was how was y-your day? I mean, not l-like, today today, because it's the m-morning, but lik–"

"I'm here to say hi to you and Alya," Adrien quickly replied after noticing that Marinette was struggling. He quickly waved to Alya and she waved right back. "And my day yesterday was good, along with my day so far today. How's your day going?"

Marinette blinked, not expecting the conversation to go this far. She peeked over to Alya for reassurance, and got a subtle smile and head nod in return. "Good, t-thanks for asking." There was a short, awkward pause between the two. Adrien had thought about the night before when Marinette confessed to Chat that she liked Adrien. Despite not wanting to return the feelings out of the blue, he wanted to do something nice for her. He also didn't want to make her too nervous, however, so baby steps seemed like the right approach.

"Yeah.. so I guess I'll catch you guys later. It was nice seeing you, Marinette!" Adrien smiled softly at the girl and walked towards the stairs with a very confused Nino.

Marinette didn't move after Adrien left. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Adrien wanted to know how she was! He asked her! They had a conversation with one another!

"Earth to Marinette!" Alya yelled as her hand waved in front of the girl's eyes. A giddy smile crept across Marinette's face as she came back to reality.

"Was that real? Oh my god, he probably thinks I'm a totally idiot because of my excessive stuttering, _again_!" Marinette whined to Alya. Her friend rolled her eyes.

"Marinette, he's probably used to it by now. And either way, he totally wanted to talk to you," Alya reassured her. Marinette smiled a little.

"Really..?" Her mind filled with pleasant thoughts about her and Adrien's future together. A nice house, a few children, a pet or two, etc.

"Yes really," Alya replied, "But you'd better snap out of that daze for real now, class starts in like three minutes."

The two girls walked up the stairs to their classroom and took their seats. Neither overheard Adrien and Nino also discussing the odd conversation.

"Ok, tell me again," Nino asked, "Why were you so eager to talk to Marinette?"

"Because I don't want her to feel nervous or weird talking to me. She's one of the first real friends I made, and I don't want to lose that friendship," Adrien replied. Nino rolled his eyes when Adrien briefly turned to check the clock.

"And you're sure you don't have a crush on her?" Nino questioned him with his eyebrows raised.

"I mean, she's really pretty and very nice, but I barely know her. We never talk. I would at least like to talk to someone before I develop feelings for them," Adrien said. Nino shot him a funny look in return.

"I don't know, dude. Whenever I see a hot chick, I develop a crush," Nino paused and then softly gestured toward Alya, "And once I found out how much her and I had in common, I think I fell in love. With her pretty eyes and confident attitude, phew! Now _that's_ a girl!" They both shared a small laugh. "Also just for the record, I think you and Marinette would look cute together. Once you get to know her, I think you'll find that you two are a decent pair"

Adrien thought about that. He didn't have a crush on Marinette yet, but he was definitely open to getting to know her and seeing if they had chemistry. Although he didn't want to completely push his feelings for Ladybug aside, he at least needed to find out who liked him when he looked and acted like his real self.

Adrien's thinking was interrupted by a loud, long ring. The teacher announced that it was time for warm-ups, and his brain shut off to prepare for another day in hell.

• • •

Later that day, after the sun set and dinner was eaten, Chat Noir and Ladybug met up for their weekly talk about who would be doing night duty when.

Chat arrived to the rooftop first and saw Ladybug approaching. He was mesmerized by the way she was able to travel with her yo-yo and her strategic jumps. Yup, he loved her alright.

" _Purr_ -fect timing, m'lady," Chat purred to the girl. She smiled while rolling her eyes.

"You never run out of puns do you?" Ladybug said. The cat just shrugged in return. "So, I'm good with tonight, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for night patrol if you are able to take the days in between." The boy counted on his fingers to double check.

"Oh, wait," Chat began, "I actually can't do Monday. Sorry, m'lady, I have prior commitments," He knew he would be driven around the city all day and night trying to familiarize himself with Paris. His father thought it be an important task despite Adrien himself thinking otherwise.

"No, it's okay," Ladybug replied, "I sleep in on Sundays anyway, so it's all good. We'll just switch those two days then." The cat was relieved; he hated putting too much stress and work on the girl.

"Anyways, I guess that's all. I'll be seeing you around, kitty" Ladybug said. As she took a step to leave, Chat smoothly side-stepped so that he stood in front of her.

"No need to leave so soon, m'lady. May I _purr_ -suade you to chat for a bit?" The cat grinned at her. She tried to dull the blush that arose to her cheeks, but it was no use. Despite what had happened with Adrien today, she really did like the company of her silly kitty. Ladybug had gotten to know him pretty well when he visited her as Marinette. Plus, she knew that Chat liked her for sure, so there would never be any doubt. Ladybug thought for a moment before deciding to do something she would soon regret.

"You know, I actually want to _chat_ for once. I'll take you up on that offer," she said to a very surprised Chat Noir, who smiled at her pun.

Ladybug led the way as they sat side by side on the edge of the roof, both staring at the glistening city around them.

"So... anything exciting happen today?" Chat asked her. He noticed her face light up a little, and Chat was glad that his lady felt happy.

"Yes actually, but I think I messed it up and it won't happen again," She replied wearily, thinking back to her rambling and stuttering.

"Don't beat yourself up, m'lady. You're _claw_ -some enough as Ladybug that at least some must show when you aren't Ladybug. I bet things will come around in your favor," The cat smiled. Ladybug was pleasantly surprised to hear such genuine advice from Chat Noir. She thought back to him visiting her as Marinette, and although he doesn't know her identity, maybe he's right. Clearly he was drawn to her as Ladybug and a little bit as Marinette, so her and her alter-ego must have something in common. Ladybug smiled back at the cat.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, kitty," She said, looking him in the eyes. Chat's face turned the color of a tomato but he didn't seem to notice, as he still gave her a cocky grin and replied, "Anytime." But his smile faded into a shy smirk as he looked her in the eyes. Blue, sparkling, and amazing as ever. She looked into his green emerald orbs: somewhat charming and yet deviant at the same time.

Chat was about to stand up for fear that he was making the girl uncomfortable, but she put one hand on his face and her lips suddenly touched his. He immediately stopped moving. He stopped thinking. He stopped breathing. This was all he had ever wanted and it was better than he could've imagined. His lips were the only part of him that moved.

Ladybug surprised herself by this action, but didn't immediately regret it. His lips were soft and nice; she enjoyed kissing him. Ladybug stopped briefly, and only to kiss the boy once more. This time, he was less hesitant to kiss her back. Both thought it was just as good, if not better, than the first. She didn't know why she felt like she wanted to kiss him, and this feeling quickly faded and was replaced by guilt as she thought of Adrien.

Ladybug pulled back and looked into Chat Noir's eyes. She blinked as he stared back at her in awe.

"Um, I should get going. I'll see you later," Ladybug said as she stood up and jumped onto the next rooftop over. She swung her yo-yo from chimney to chimney, and before she knew it she was laying in bed. Marinette looked at her dark ceiling hours later, and still could not get the image of his green eyes out of her mind.

Chat still sat on the edge of the roof. A smile that had crept onto his face never managed to find it's way off, even withstanding Plagg's remarks. Paris, despite it being 3:00AM, still sparkled. Ladybug was all he thought about as his eyes scanned over the city. He loved the way she selflessly protected the city of Paris with him. He loved how she always wanted to do the right thing. He loved her eyes, her hair, and her bubbly personality. He loved the way she kissed him and held his face in her hands. Wow. He loved her.


	3. Chapter 3

Having already gotten through school for the day, Marinette was glad that it was finally the weekend. Homework was bad enough as it was, but having to balance it on top of her duties as Ladybug? It was an absolute nightmare. She was just thankful that no akumas had shown up today.

"Marinette, honey! Dinner time!" She heard her mother call up. Marinette closed her sketchbook and climbed down stairs to see her mother putting the finishing garnishes on the mashed potatoes. Excited to eat, Marinette walked over to her seat at the table. The television caught her attention, as the headline story was about a costumed woman terrorizing Paris. Not again, she though to herself. Leave it to Marinette to jinx herself.

"Hey Mom, I just forgot that Alya asked me to sleepover over and have dinner with her today. So sorry!" Marinette quickly lied.

"It's okay, dear! Be back by 9AM tomorrow, I need your help in the bakery," Marinette's mother replied with questioning her. Thankfully she wasn't looking as Marinette left the house completely empty-handed.

Marinette soon realized that she would need to spend the night somewhere other than her house, but she quickly pushed that thought away. It was time to focus and save Paris.

"Tikki, spots on!" she called out.

• • •

"Wow," Chat Noir said, out of breath, "I guess she wasn't akumatized. She was just crazy." After having chased the woman down, they came to realize that she was actually just stealing from her rival clowns. Ladybug and Chat Noir laughed, but were still slightly annoyed that their time had been wasted.

"Yeah," Marinette replied to the kitty. Neither of them had to use their abilities, so they had as much time to be heroes as they wanted. Chat was thinking about this, seeing as he really wanted to spend time with the girl who kissed him.

"Uh, m'lady?" Chat asked quietly in fear of rejection, "Do you wanna, um, I don't know, maybe hangout for a bit?" Ladybug was surprised, but she'd be lying if she told herself that she wasn't thinking the same thing. Luckily for the cat, he caught her in a good mood. She wanted to be with someone who liked her, and right now, that was him.

"Of course," Ladybug said confidently. Chat's face lit up with surprise. "What do you have in mind?"

Chat Noir was beaming the entire time they were jumping to a rooftop which higher than most around it. The view was great from here, and Ladybug wondered if this was where he snuck off to.

"Sometimes, I get bored during night patrol. I was snacks and stuff hidden up here," He said as he pulled a bag of cookies out from behind a metal pipe. Chat took one out and held it out to Ladybug, "M'lady first."

Ladybug went over to sit on the edge of the roof and Chat soon followed. Both were eating cookies shaped like black cats and ladybugs.

"Glad to see you do like me," Chat joked as Ladybug bit into a black cat cookie. She smiled in return rather than laughing, not wanting to show him her mouth full of chewed food. The more he thought, the more Chat Noir wanted to know if she really liked him. He was joking, but part of him also really wanted to know.

"So, uh..." Marinette mumbled, "About yesterday night.." She played her fingers, clearly not knowing where to start.

"Well, I enjoyed the kiss," Chat replied quickly and confidently, "I don't know if you regret or not, but there's no denying that it was very enjoyable. And people should do things they enjoy, no?" He smiled slightly devilishly at the girl.

"That depends–," Ladybug said as she pulled another Chat Noir cookie from the bag, "–on whether or not things are for the right reasons. A part of me felt like I betrayed my crush."

Chat Noir surprisingly nodded in agreement, "Same here." Ladybug was taken aback; she figured the cat was claws over heels for her, but now that she thought it through it seemed unrealistic. Oddly, she felt disappointed.

"Aren't you like in love with me or something?" She questioned the cat with a smile on her face. Chat Noir's face immediately turned bright red but he didn't seem to notice as he flashed her a devilish grin.

"Something like that, m'lady," he replied slightly sheepishly, "And I had to face the reality of you somewhat rebuffing my affections. You don't want to see me single for nine lives, do you?"

They both laughed lightly as Chat tried to rid himself of the pink stain that his cheeks still bore. Luckily for him, Ladybug didn't pay too much attention to it.

They observed the many stars that had appeared soon after they arrived and the crescent moon which hung above. The night was beautiful, and Chat Noir was feeling giddy. The love of his life may be finally starting to show interest in him; just the thought of being with Ladybug made him smile.

"Well, it's getting late," Chat Noir said, not wanting to ruin the moment but also feeling pretty tired. It was at least 11PM by now. "I should get going soon."

"Ah, yeah, you're right," Ladybug replied. She was thinking about her warm bed when she realized that she told her mom she'd be at Alya's tonight. Normally, Alya would fine with a surprise sleepover, but she was out of town for the night visiting family. "Oh shit!" Ladybug gasped.

Chat Noir looked at her with concern, "What is it, m'lady?" The girl put her palm on her head and then looked back at him.

"I can't go home, I told my parents I was sleeping over somewhere as an excuse to catch the akuma today," Ladybug explained, "I don't know why that was the first excuse I thought of, but now I'm stuck."

Chat Noir thought about this, but didn't want to make the girl uncomfortable by suggesting they stay at a small cottage just outside Paris (which was actually Adrien's getaway spot). Yet again, Ladybug did need a place to stay for the night.

"I have a place that might work for you to spend the night in," Chat said Ladybug, and he noticed her face immediately wash with relief.

"Really? Are you sure that it's safe?" She questioned with anxiety. He cat nodded in return.

"Purr-fectly safe, m'lady. Right this way," Chat Noir motioned as his began to make his way from roof to roof.

Ladybug had no trouble keeping up with him, of course, but the trip took them about 20 minutes. Despite being used to strenuous work while fighting Hawk Moth's akumas, they were both exhausted.

"I don't know what I had in mind, but this is farther than I expected," Ladybug huffed in between jumps.

"My sincerest apologies, m'lady," Chat replied, "We have just about arrived."

Minutes later, the pair came upon a small, cozy-looking house.

"Wait, is this your house?" Ladybug questioned. Chat tried to quickly come up with an excuse, but his mind went blank.

"Well, not technically... but I do know that it's well-kept and nobody going to be here anytime soon. It's safe, m'lady, I promise," Chat Noir assured her as he pulled out a house key hidden under the door mat.

"Great hiding spot," Ladybug commented sarcastically.

"I know. We can't have any masked strangers getting in, you know," He said, making them both laugh a little.

The house reminded Ladybug of her grandparents' house. A patterned rug led the way up the staircase, and to her left was a small kitchen with pale blue countertops. Knick-knacks adorned every nook and cranny in the house. As the two heroes went upstairs, the house seemed to gain a more modern vibe. They walked past a small loft area with a television and an X-Box. Chat led the girl into a light green room the smelled like being outside on a spring day.

"I cannot thank you enough, Chat. I owe you one, thank you," Ladybug said to the kitty while looking sitting on the bed in the clean, open room.

"Another kiss, perhaps?" Chat Noir cooed, "Or a few, I'm not so sure." He smiled and eyed Ladybug, who had rolled her eyes at him. She thought about the kisses they shared a couple nights ago, and her face flushed.

"Nice try, kitty," She chuckled, but part of her gave into the cat's wishes as she scratched underneath his chin. His eyes closed with pleasure and he smiled. Ladybug really did enjoy the cat's company. Would it be too much to ask him to stay? She felt nervous being alone in a strange house.

"Um, Chat?" Ladybug shyly asked after withdrawing her hand, "Would you mind maybe staying here? Like... with me? I don't know this house or this area and I feel a little nervous." Chat Noir tried to suppress his grin, but Ladybug caught his slight smile.

"Of course," He replied, and Ladybug let out and internal sigh of relief, "I know you can protect yourself, but I'm always here to protect you as well," His tone became serious all of the sudden. Ladybug suddenly felt so safe; her worries disappeared. She shifted her body so that she was laying on her side.

Chat Noir stood near here, clearly torn on whether or not it was okay for him to lay next to her.

"So now you're shy?" Ladybug laughed. Chat lightly chuckled and took this as a green light to climb in bed next to her. They were spooning, but neither minded.

Chat's arm eventually made it's way to around Ladybug's waist, and she put her arm on top of his. She could hear the kitty's breathing and could tell that he asleep. Ladybug drifted off while thinking about only his voice in her head: "I'm always here to protect you."


	4. Chapter 4

Ladybug awoke to see the clock at 8:23AM. She was so relieved that she'd make it back to the bakery by 9 to help her mother. She had slept so calmly that night, and was secretly thankful that Chat Noir had kept close; she liked his warmth and presence. His arm was still cozily wrapped around her, and they fit together like a puzzle. She glanced down at his hand."Oh no," Ladybug whispered aloud to herself. What she saw was not a leather-covered arm, but rather a completely bare arm. She looked at herself and realized that she had also transformed back to her normal self.

Marinette glanced around for their kwamis and was relieved to find Tikki in her bag and Plagg asleep on the night stand. The girl carefully removed Chat Noir's arm from her waist, trying to avoid looking at the boy. She slipped out of bed and went downstairs to check for any pens so she could leave him a note. Marinette stumbled upon a ballpoint pen sitting on the kitchen alongside a notebook. Perfect. The girl hastily wrote "Sorry I had to rush out, I have priorities to attend to. Thanks again for everything, I had fun. (P.S. No, I didn't see you without your mask on. Don't worry, kitty.)"

Marinette crept back upstairs and shielded her eyes from Chat Noir without his costume. She placed the note where she had slept and look at the boy's arm. It was laid out over her side of the bed as if she were still there next to him. Marinette smiled softly. Part of her wanted to peek at the boy's face, and the other part wanted to leave immediately. Stuck between her conflicted feelings, she decided to look at everything except his face. Marinette put her hands out so that she could only see the boy's yellow t-shirt and jeans. She knew Chat Noir was fairly built due to the unforgiving nature of tight leather, but it still showed even through his normal clothing. Marinette wondered what the boy did that kept him so in shape other than his hero work, but then quickly pushed this thought aside. emCuriosity killed the cat/em, she thought to herself. Marinette cursed herself for creating a cat pun. Who was she becoming? She turned around and walked back downstairs, making her way to the front door. The kitchen had a window where the sun shone in nicely, and she figured that the house was probably a simple getaway of some sort. What the owners were getting away from, she didn't know. Marinette locked the door using the key underneath the mat and swung from rooftop to rooftop on her way home. Her mind filled with worries about Alya stopping by and her mom asking about their "sleepover". Marinette tried to think of a good lie to come up with because she knew Alya would hound her about where she'd been. Fingers crossed that her friend didn't stop by today.

"Marinette quietly opening the hatch on her ceiling and crept into her room. She accidentally made a thud as she hit the ground, and Tikki flew out of the girl's bag.

"Marinette, why are you sneaking in? You told your parents you were staying at Alya's, remember?" The kwami warned.

"Yeah, but I emdidn't/em stay at Alya's. What if they ask Alya about it and she's here?" Marinette worried aloud. Tikki shook her head.

"No, not that. They think you were out with Alya. Your parents will know you stuck in if they find you in your room and didn't see you come upstairs!" She emphasized. Marinette finally realized what the kwami was trying to tell her and tried to climb back up, but it was no use. Without being transformed, there was no way to get back down to her front door.

"Tikki, transform me!" Marinette whisper-yelled, still not wanting to make it known that she was in her room. Her clothes burst into an array of red sparkles as they changed from a floral white shirt and pink pants to a tight red suit with black polka-dots. A mask also made it's way over her eyes along with her transformation.

Marinette carefully swung her yo-yo onto the hatch above her and pulled, causing it to fallopen. She hooked the gadget onto the edge of the hatch and jumped up onto her roof. Thank the lord she had been successful. Marinette looked around to make sure nobody saw her alter ego and then carefully climbed down the side of her house. The girl found a nearby telephone booth and de-transformed. Little did she know, Marinette may have overlooked a set of eyes that saw her as Ladybug on top of Marinette's roof.

• • •

Chat Noir awoke at 8:47AM to the loud and obnoxious snores of Plagg. He also woke up to find that Ladybug was not next to him in bed. The cat popped his head up, only to be startled by the lack of black clothing he was wearing. Adrien held his arms out and then looked down at his pants. _Oh shit, Ladybug could've seen me without my costume._ Adrien's face went pale: this was strongnot/strong how he wanted their reveal to go.

Adrien stood up from the bed and grabbed Plagg, who did not react well to being woken up: "Hey, what's with the grabbing? Can a kwami sleep in peace?" Plagg moaned. Adrien rolled his eyes and ignored him as he walked past the loft and down the stairs.

He nearly missed it, but caught a piece of paper of the kitchen table that he didn't remember being there before. Adrien went over and Plagg read it aloud, "Chat Noir, sorry, I have stuff to do. Thanks again, blah blah blah. From, Ladybug. P.S. I didn't see you without your mask, don't worry... kitty." Adrien was slightly amused at the kwami's paraphrased version of the letter, but was more so relieved when he knew that she hadn't seen him without his mask.

"Phew," the boy whispered to himself, "Now we can go, Plagg."

"Come on, I don-"

"Transform me!" Adrien interrupted.

"Ugh," Plagg sighed, clearly not having much of a choice in the matter. Adrien's clothes went from light to dark amidst a flurry of green and the boy grew a black set of ears, along with a tail.

Chat Noir pulled out his stick and went swooping from roof to roof. He loved Paris in the early morning because the smell of baguettes was everywhere, and the taste wasn't far either. The cat passed the Eiffel Tower and Nino's house, almost reaching his own home. As he was about to make another jump, Chat stopped and hid behind a chimney. He saw a red figure not to far away, and it grew taller until it was the silhouette of a girl.

He carefully crept closer, thankful of his cat-like stealth right about now. Squinting his eyes, Chat Noir came to the realization that it was Ladybug. emWhat was she doing here?/em He thought to himself. Chat watched as Ladybug's ponytails swiftly turned in all directions, checking for people who might've seen her. To Chat Noir's luck (or lack thereof), she looked right over his green eyes and made he way down the side of the house and out of sight.

Chat attempted to compose himself and continued home. She was at Marinette's house. Marinette, the girl he visited when he was bored on patrol. The girl who he could now also ask about his one true love, Ladybug. With a newfound sense of giddiness and motivation, Chat pounced off and prepared himself to visit the girl at night. He hoped to finally get some answers about the mysterious heroine he's been pining over for months now. The mysterious and amazingly wonderful Ladybug.


	5. Chapter 5 (The longest chapter so far)

Chat's entire body was tingling as he crept onto Marinette's balcony. Thoughts kept flying through his mind as he wondered more about the love of his life. _Could she be closer to him than he thought? Maybe he knew her!_ His excitement just wouldn't die down and the boy couldn't keep he tiny smile from his face. Chat Noir's knuckles found the glass as he knocked gently on Marinette's window in the pale yellow light of the full moon. This morning that he had seen Ladybug come here, and didn't know how to begin prodding for answers about the heroine.

Marinette was busying herself with sketches of formal wear for Chat Noir and herself. Despite knowing that the two were always going to be in suits, it gave her a theme to work with and helped her sketch without having too much to worry about. Marinette often laughed when she thought of her and the boy's antics if they were to wear the outfits. Chat Noir would complain for the lack of tail and claws, but would love the addition of fur for the wintertime. She as Ladybug would enjoy maybe a cute winter coat, but couldn't see herself wearing the skirt she designed. Just as Marinette went to add the black dots to the skirt, she heard a knocking on her window. Tikki, who was watching Marinette sketch, had quickly flown behind the girl's computer screen.

"Hello?" Marinette called out as she slowly climbed out of her balcony hatch. A thin, black silhouette was casually sat upon the railing with arm on his propped up knee.

" _Purr_ -fectly splendid seeing you again, princess," Chat Noir purred. Marinette hadn't expected him to visit her civilian self. She noticed that the cat had a gleam in his eye which was usually reserved for when Ladybug didn't rebuff his affections.

"What brings you here, Chat?" Marinette asked while smiling with an eyebrow raised. What a dorky partner she had, she said sarcastically to herself, I'm a lucky one. The cat hopped off of her railing.

" _Meow_ -ch! Can't a kitty just be trying to protect one of the finest young designers in Paris?" Chat Noir cooed as he made his devilish features appear youthful and innocent. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, kitty," She said to a frowning Chat, "Why are you really here?" The cat sat on her wooden table as she herself had taken the chair.

"I, uh..." He stuttered out as Marinette grinned at his lack of composure, "Well, I may have, uh, caught Ladybug leaving here... and I was, like, just wondering if you could tell me more about her?" Chat's face was boiling hot with the shade of red to show for it.

Marinette's eyes went wide when she realized that she had been spotted. But as the cat continued, her body relaxed. Thankfully Chat Noir didn't know that she was Ladybug (yet). Marinette let out a small giggle and tried coming up with a story on how she and the hero knew one another.

"Well, Ladybug loves my family's bakery but doesn't like to make a scene when she's trying to eat our food. We often slip her pastries and baked goods. She's one of our best customers, actually. Her and I have gotten to know each other fairly well with all of her visits," Marinette told the fascinated cat, "And by seeing how much you like to stop by, I bet I'll become friends with both of the city's finest heroes."

"Do you know her identity when she's not Ladybug?" Chat Noir asked quietly before thinking about his manners. Marinette thought about this, and knew her answer wouldn't technically be a lie...

"Yes," The girl replies with confidence. Chat Noir is beaming with excitement. His fingers and toes tingle. He might figure out who his lady is. He might figure out who his lady is.

"Really? Gosh, what I wouldn't give to be you right about now," Chat said wistfully, "But then again, how would I win over Ladybug without my charm?" He smirked at Marinette who just rolled her eyes in return. The boy's features softened.

"I'm pretty sure you're sworn to secrecy by Ladybug, and even if you weren't, I doubt you'd tell me," Chat mumbled, "But, can I maybe get some hints about who she is? Just some simple facts even? A favorite color, food, anything." The plea in his eyes was as obvious as the desperate sound to his voice. Marinette pondered this, wondering how she would feel if she could barely stalk Adrien. How lonely and hopeless she would feel. Sometimes, you have to throw the dog a bone (or in this case, the cat).

"Well..." Marinette raised an eyebrow at the kitty, "I know Ladybug would kill me, but I also know how I'd feel in your situation. She does it for the safety of Paris, but sometimes..." The girl's voice trailed off, "Sometimes, relationships can mean more just because they're so personal. I'll tell you some things, but maybe ask her again sometime. I bet she'll open up more." Chat Noir grinned as he shook his head.

"Of course I'll ask again, because I always do, but she still won't share anything with me," His smile briefly stopped reaching his eyes, and a pang of sadness washed over his face before it was replaced by his usual smirk, "Thankfully you're going to tell me some things so I can get to know my lady better."

Chat Noir crossed his legs like a pretzel and folded his hands as if waiting for Marinette. She got the memo and stood up, trying her best to look like a teacher.

"The first thing you should know about Ladybug is that she hates people who bring others down," Marinette explained, pacing and talking with her hands, "She just doesn't understand how someone can be so rude and bring someone else down without a second thought with knowing that akumas are created that way and–" She stopped herself, suddenly aware of her rambling. Chat blinked at her and smiled, still paying close attention to every word she had to say about his partner.

"You get it," Marinette continued, "Anyways, Ladybug also isn't like her alter-ego when she's a civilian. She's isn't as confident and suave as she is when she's transformed." Chat Noir nodded in agreement.

"I bet there's some qualities that are the same, but you're probably right. I'm kinda like that myself. I'm a goody two-shoes when I'm a civilian, but when I'm transformed I feel like I can let loose and be myself," He replied with surprising sincerity.

Marinette decided that she liked talking to Chat Noir like this. It's not often that he and Ladybug had free time to chat (pun intended). They were usually fighting against an akumatized citizen or talking about patrol scheduling. They seldom had a chance to relax and be transformed at the same time.

"Is there anything you'd like to know in specific?" Marinette asked politely. Chat Noir's face immediately lit up even more than before.

"Yes!" The cat practically shouted. His face flushed and he corrected himself, "Uh, I mean, sure... I guess." They both laughed at Chat's sudden outburst and Marinette then motioned for him to continue.

"Well... I've kind of always wondered if Ladybug likes me. I don't think so, but I still want to know my competition, ya know?" Chat asked. Marinette became painfully aware at how desperately Chat loved Ladybug. She often convinced herself that he flirted with lots of girls, but after talking with him, Marinette had come to find that it wasn't the truth. She truly felt for the guy.

"Her heart belongs to some model, but not for the reasons you think," Marinette started. Chat Noir didn't seem to react very much, and soon replied with, "Who? I doubt I'd know him anyways."

Marinette blinked. Could she really trust him with this? Did he even know Adrien? Would it break his heart? Recently she found herself appreciating Chat more, as both Ladybug and Marinette. Not necessarily because she pitied him, but because she knew he was lonely at home. Marinette knew that he honestly deserved some happiness.

After a long and uneventful pause, Marinette quietly said, "Well, I'm pretty sure you know him. Heck, all of Paris probably knows him." Chat Noir's eyebrows went up. All of Paris? Ladybug loved a self-absorbed celebrity? Over him? He couldn't believe this and he was crushed, but not for too longz

"Is he like a celebrity?" Chat asked the girl. Marinette shook her head.

"No. I think I mentioned it before, but the guy's a model. Pretty well known, too. I bet you've even seen him in magazines or on billboards. His dad owns a famous fashion line, so that's ho–"

"Wait," Chat Noir said with a perfect poker face, "Ladybug likes Adrien Agreste?" There wasn't any emotion in his voice. Chat couldn't process any of what was happening.

"Told you that you knew him," Marinette replied, still confused by the boy's lack of reaction, "I could see why, though. Adrien is handsome and kind, not to mention how he stands up for others. He knows how to relate to people and make them feel better. Ladybug knows this about him as well, which is why I think she's developed a crush on him." Chat Noir smiled at her, to Marinette's surprise. "What?" She questioned. The boy's sneaky grin returned to his face, "Chat, what is it?"

The boy hopped off of the table and planted his feet opposite of Marinette's. They weren't close in proximity, but she felt like he knew all of her secrets all of the sudden. Despite having only shared Ladybug's crush, Marinette panicked at the possibility that she'd revealed herself.

"I think someone else also has a crush on this Adrien Agreste," Chat hinted. Marinette's eyes went wide and her face turned the color of Ladybug herself.

"What?!" The girl sputtered out, "That's crazy, I can't believe... of course not! You think that I...? No no no, that's absolutely..." Marinette paused to notice that Chat Noir's smile hadn't faded one bit. In fact, it seemed to have doubled in size. She wasn't fooling him at all, "That's absolutely true," Marinette admitted.

"Hey, I don't blame you. That guy is almost as handsome as me," Chat posed obnoxiously, which caused Marinette to giggle, "Almost." He wondered if she stuttered around him because of her crush on him, but then quickly shoved that thought into a cabinet for later. _Ladybug liked him_. His smile stopped showing his teeth, but still took over the boy's face. Marinette wondered if his cheeks were hurting by now.

"Ladybug really has a crush on Adrien Agreste?" Chat asked, both to Marinette and himself. She nodded, and her confirmation sent Chat on a roller coaster of emotion. He was sad that she preferred his daily act over his natural pun-making abilities, but the sadness was overtaken by complete joy. Ladybug liked him. He immediately wanted to find out a way to see her as his civilian self. What if he flirted and Ladybug flirted back? The idea sent him reeling.

Marinette raised her eyebrow and said, "You seem much too pleased that the love of your life loves someone else."

"Nah," Chat replied. He didn't want to reveal himself, at least not tonight, "I'm just glad she likes such an amazing guy."

"Not more amazing than you," Marinette replied under her breath. Why had she said that? She liked Adrien, and strictly Adrien, yet here she was complimenting some narcissistic superhero while she couldn't even speak to Adrien without stuttering. A part of her yearned for Chat Noir to feel wanted due to his lack of love at home, but another part of her also just wanted to compliment him. He hadn't complimented her in awhile, so now it was her turn, right? Marinette came to the realization that she missed his flirting. She craved how he watched her as Ladybug and was head over claws for her. She liked feeling wanted, too.

Chat stared at the girl, and a light pink found it's way onto his cheeks. Marinette not only like him as Adrien, but maybe Chat Noir as well? The thought made him so flattered, and a funny feeling arose in his stomach. He quickly ignored all of his thoughts and leaned his devilish grin towards Marinette until they were inches apart.

"Mind repeating that, princess?" Chat Noir asked her. He noticed the redness in her cheeks and was debating on pulling away. Marinette also found herself frozen at the situation. She needed to act like Ladybug more often, and now was a better time than any. Confidence, Marinette reminded herself, Confidence is key.

"Not more amazing than you," She repeated in a warm whisper that the boy felt against his own face. Chat didn't expect this and his blush went from light pink to deep red. Shy, clumsy Marinette had flirted with him as Chat Noir?

Their eyes hadn't broken contact, but Chat Noir's sly grin had faded into an embarrassed smile. Marinette, however, found confidence in her own actions. She thought back to when she had "accidentally" kissed Chat Noir as Ladybug a couple nights back and wondered if it would feel the same now. Did he love both halves of her? Clearly without thinking, Marinette tested her own theory, gently pressed her lips into the cat's.

Chat Noir's eyes widened before he slowly closed them. This kiss felt like his kiss with Ladybug, and it made the boy more confused than ever. It was like Marinette poured her energy into him. Her softness, her toughness, and her fairness, all wrapped into one package.

Chat was just talking to her about his crush on Ladybug and her crush on Adrien, and yet here they were with one another. Marinette thought about Adrien, and yet she still didn't really want to stop kissing Chat Noir. Having feelings really was the absolute worst.

With neither of them ever noticing, Chat's hand was on Marinette's cheek and hers were curled on top of his chest. They had been making out for what seemed like an hour but in reality was only about 10 minutes.

Marinette was the first to pull away, but didn't open her eyes. She took in Chat's solid, comforting presence. He seemed so open as opposed to Adrien's secrecy, and the thought surprisingly made her smile.

Chat Noir studied the girl in complete awe and watched as her eyes fluttered open. There was no denying his love for Ladybug, but Marinette had somehow managed to also give him butterflies and make him unable to stop staring at her. Chat wanted to take in every aspect of her. He wanted to memorize every detail of her face, every single crease and pore that there was.

The two stared at one another in awkward silence before Chat cleared his throat, "Seems as though I've defeated the purpose of my visit. I promise that this was not my intent." Marinette chuckled as they pulled themselves away from one another.

"It certainly wasn't mine, either," She agreed with her brows furrowed, "But now I'm all sorts of confused. I thought you were supposed to help the citizens of Paris." Chat laughed, and it oddly reminded Marinette of bells. She made a mental note to herself that Chat Noir was clearly screwing her priorities up.

"I believe I did help, princess," He purred flirtatiously. Marinette blushed furiously because deep down she knew it was true. Her obsession with Adrien wasn't healthy for the foundation of any type of relationship, even platonic. Chat Noir, despite steering her love life off-course, seemed to have eased her mind.

"You should get going, kitty. It's pretty late, and I bet that you have school tomorrow," Marinette warned. Chat pretended to be shocked.

"Me? In high school? What gave it away?" He replied sarcastically.

"You practically reek of hormonal teenager, Chat," Marinette joked, "Which is another great reason for you to get going."

"Haha, very funny," He replied without laughing at the girl's joke. Chat made his way atop the fence on her balcony, "I bid you ado, princess. Sweet dreams!" He called out as he winked and swiftly jumped onto a nearby rooftop. Marinette climbed back inside her room and immediately froze.

The confidence she had gained was so misplaced. She wasn't Ladybug right now, and she couldn't just go around kissing Chat Noir like that. The poor kitty was probably just as confused as she was. As much as Marinette wanted to kiss Chat again, it pained her to forget about Adrien like that. He wad such an amazing and down to Earth guy, not to mention insanely attractive.

Marinette sighed and slumped into her bed. Why were boys so confusing? The girl slowly drifted off the sleep and dreamt of a beautiful blonde boy with green eyes. Here's the kicker: she began to blur the lines between Adrien and Chat Noir all by herself, no hints needed. It should've been obvious before but now, it struck her like a freight train. Marinette finally understood everything.


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette had never felt so confused in her entire life. Tikki kept trying to tell her that it was okay, but it wasn't. How could _Chat Noir_ be Adrien? How could _Adrien_ be Chat Noir? She refused to believe it and kept trying to think about more important things.

"Marinette, I know you're taken aback but I bet it'll all work out in the end, you'll see," Tikki comforted her. Marinette nodded, but she didn't fully believe the kwami. Adrien doesn't like her as Marinette, but he likes her as Ladybug. Of course he wouldn't like boring and clumsy Marinette.

She glanced up at the clock to realize that she was running late for school, yet again. Marinette quickly stuffed Tikki and some cookies into her bag along with last night's homework. She grabbed a croissant and her sketchbook right before saying goodbye to her parents. Alya was waiting at Marinette's door for her like always, and was clearly not happy at the girl's late arrival.

"Sorry?" Marinette mumbled with a smile. Alya just laughed and rolled her eyes as the two began their short walk to the school.

"What am I gonna do with you, girl? First there's the dazing off in class, which clearly means you're thinking about a boy, may I add. Second, you're a minute later than usual which means something has gotten you confused. Neither of these things have been spoken about with me, so before you complain, keep in mind that I could be helping you only if you told me what was going on with this boy who doesn't seem to be Adrien or this confusing problem of yours." Alya explained, taking in a breath after she finished. She had clearly spoken too fast without pauses again.

Marinette walked slowly, trying to process the information Alya had thrown at her. Her friend was like a detective! There was no getting around things with a lie or a distraction, so Marinette stuck with her best option: silence.

"Maybe after class," Marinette replied, trying not to sound suspicious. She wanted to shout out, _'Chat is the other boy! I kissed Chat Noir! It was him! I also think he is Adrien!'_ Alya would be so confused, and rightfully so. Marinette was stuck with the option of lying, which was not her favorite. She hated liars and yet here she was becoming a professional. She could not believe herself and what her life was coming to.

Alya rolled her eyes again, "Mhm, okay." She nudged the girl playfully as if to tell her that they could change conversation topics now. Alya knew she wouldn't get anything out of Marientte at this moment, so might as well move on.

The two girls made their way to their seats and Marinette made a conscious effort to not look at Adrien. Oh, but how her eyes liked to wander towards his soft blonde hair that sometimes featured kitty ears. She traced the outline of his shoulder blades, imagining them sticking out of shiny black leather rather than a t-shirt. Marinette was screwed.

"Ok, class! I have multiple questions set up around the room for you to answer! I expect you to be finished with all of them in 45 minutes! Good luck!" The teacher announced, clearly trying to busy the class while she dealt with tons of e-mails and papers to grade.

Once Marinette and Alya completed the math problem at their desks, they moved to the seats in front of them for the next problem. Marinette, however, didn't realize that Adrien now sat right behind her.

The boy was just as confused as she was, but about something entirely different. Adrien still had no clue that Marinette was Ladybug, he was more focused on how he had feelings for two girls at the same time. He felt so guilty despite Plagg saying it was a "normal teenage boy tendency." His eyes kept wandering to Marinette and they followed her pencil as it danced around the page. She shaded in two triangles and some grass. He watched as Marinette sketched further down the page, drawing what looked like a... rectangle? No, not quite. Adrien couldn't figure it out until she starting drawing a bell by the collar bone. That wasn't grass, it was hair. His hair, to be specific. Marinette had doodled Chat Noir.

Adrien felt his face become warm and pretended to work on the assignment so Nino wouldn't see. He assumed she kissed him by accident and that she regretted it, yet here she was thinking about him. She subconsciously doodled Chat Noir with hearts.

Alya and Marinette moved over to Chloe's desk for the next problem. Although they were working as a team, Alya knew Marinette understood everything and had issues to deal with right now. The moment she saw Marinette drawing Chat Noir with hearts was when her confusion nearly doubled. Marinette didn't care for Paris's two superheroes at all. Most girls thought Chat was cute, but Marinette never did. Why now?

Marinette quickly jolted up after Alya tapped her shoulder. She looked like a deer in headlights.

"Marinette, I know it's none of my business and all... but I thought you didn't like Chat Noir." Alya questioned. Once Adrien heard his alter ego mentioned, he began to eavesdrop from the desk across the girls.

"What?! I don't!" Marinette stammered defensively. Alya's facial expression remained the same with one eyebrow raised. She was staring at Marinette's paper, causing her to look down at what she'd drawn. It was a detailed Chat Noir with his arms crossed. He was holding Ladybug's yo-yo and hearts had been placed all around the kitty's head. Marinette turned into a tomato; she couldn't believe herself.

"Um, I can explain," She mumbled to Alya, who still wasn't buying anything Marinette told her.

"Can you?" Alya asked her, still observing the girl's artwork.

"Well, I... uh," Marinette struggled looking for the right words, "Um, no? Not really. I can't, um, I... No?" The two exchanged confused stares.

"Cat's got your tongue?" Both girls swiveled their heads to look at the blonde boy smirking at his own joke. The cat literally did have her tongue, since she now had to face the reality that she had kissed _Adrien_. Marinette couldn't believe she had missed the connection for so long, yet she still couldn't wrap her head around it.

Adrien eye's shifted from Marinette's down to her doodle of the cat.

"Can I see it?" He asked politely. Marinette could feel her dignity shriveling up inside of her. She drew him. She knew his was Chat Noir now and she drew him. Adrien's going to think she's obsessive and weird, she needed to crawl into a corner and hide. Instead of doing that, her voice squeaked out a small, "Sure," as she watched her crush examine at her artwork.

"Marinette, this is really good!" He told her. Marinette managed a small smile, but her face was still bright red.

"Thanks. I d-don't usually draw outside of, you know, fashion s-stuff," The girl stammered. Adrien didn't seem to mind and was still completely immersed in the drawing of his alter-ego. Marinette had gotten every seam and zipper on his costume correct. She picked up on where Chat's collar ended, how long his tail was, and the shiny leather that made up the costume. She was really cut out for the fashion world if she observed everyone's outfits like this.

Adrien almost missed it, but shifted his eyes back to the figure's hand. Her Chat Noir drawing was holding a Ladybug yo-yo.

"Do you ship them?" Adrien asked out, completely of context compared to what Marinette was thinking.

"What?" She asked as her gaze suddenly began to focus on him rather than staring through him, "Ship who?"

Adrien flipped the drawing so Marinette could see it and pointed to the yo-yo.

"Chat Noir and Ladybug. I heard they have good chemistry," He replied. Marinette could see a twinkle in his eye, and she would have rolled hers had he been Chat Noir instead of Adrien.

"Oh?" She tried to say obliviously, "No, I just added it because I didn't want to draw Ladybug right now. Just had to include a nod to her, since they are a team." Adrien quickly nodded in agreement.

"That makes sense, you're right. However, I still think they'd look great together," He said wistfully. Marinette was slightly angry that he spoke about Ladybug like this right after he kissed her as Marinette. They might've been the same person, but he doesn't know that. She decided to play off of Chat Noir's own guilt because she wasn't about to let this slide.

"I, myself, have always seen Chat Noir using his suit to flirt with girls. I bet he's kissed a few by now, too," Marinette replied, trying to hide the satisfactory smirk on her face. Adrien was painfully reminded of when he kissed her on her balcony the night before. He couldn't lie to her, but he also wasn't about to tell the truth.

"Well, he can be a bit flirty, but he only flirts with girls he truly cares about and can see himself with," Adrien told her. Marinette was stunned and flattered by this, and he quickly added, "At least, that's what I've seen from the LadyBlog."

Alya suddenly popped up and nodded aggressively, "Yes! I have noted that Chat Noir's flirting significantly increases with Ladybug. We can't 100% confirm it, but I'm almost positive that Chat Noir has a crush on Ladybug."

Adrien blushed again. He had way more than a crush on Ladybug. He trusted her, she was his partner, his best friend, and he could be himself around her. Ladybug was kind, fair, forgiving, strong, and so much more. She was beautiful inside and out. Saying that Chat Noir had a crush on Ladybug was a huge understatement. Ladybug was entirely the love of his life.

"Yeah, but they have to protect Paris. They don't have time for messing around," Marinette replied, snapping Adrien out of his Ladybug-induced daze. He knew that they had work to do with purifying akumas, but a part of him still wanting to know what it would be like if Ladybug reciprocated his advances.

Alya nodded, but then replied, "They could be in costume more than we think. Who knows, they could be a thing and nobody could have a clue about it." Marinette was ready to deny it, but she didn't want to. If she liked Adrien, she liked all of him, including his alter-ego. Saying no would mean that Ladybug and Chat Noir don't have any sparks, which in all honesty, their sexual tension was through the roof. Sweaty teenagers wearing tight, animal-themed costumes? Yeah, exactly.

"I've always hoped for that to be true," Adrien wished aloud. Marinette saw his eyes change, and they now had the same expression as when he looked at Ladybug. He really did care about it, he himself even said that he only really flirts with girls he could see himself with. Chat Noir flirted with both sides of her. Marinette was so stunned that she the love of her crush's life.

"Me too," the girl squeaked out before remembering that Adrien still doesn't know she's Ladybug. Marientte's heart was racing: what had she done? She flew through ideas in her head while Adrien looked at her with his usual kind eyes. Maybe she should– no wait, that's dumb. Time was running out, she had to be quick.

Adrien gave a small smile when Marinette, who normally never gives input on anything related to Chat Noir and Ladybug, agreed with him. There was a second of awkward staring before Marinette smiled at Adrien and shot him a wink before gracefully switching math stations.

The only other girl who has ever winked at him was Ladybug, and he was sure that was a joke. Even then, he still cherishes the memory and replays it often. Marinette's blush had reached the bridge of her nose; it was almost like she was wearing a red mask.

"Dude, you dropped something," Nino nudged Adrien's elbow, and then boy looked to see that his notebook had slammed onto the ground.

"Sorry, thanks Nino," Adrien mumbled back. He was too busy focusing on the one thing that had been racking at his brain for over a year. The love of his life was never far away at all. _Marinette was Ladybug._


End file.
